Glyndebourne is one of the great brand names in opera and with the establishment of its touring arm it has shaken off the accusations of elitism which used to be made against its base in Sussex.

The company’s visit to Oxford’s New Theatre this month embraced not only old favourites Mozart and Rossini but a specially commissioned new work intended to appeal to young people not usually drawn to opera.

Described as an operatic thriller, Tangier Tattoo is an action piece set in north Africa and no scene lasts longer than 10 minutes.

Librettist Stephen Plaice, who has written scripts for The Bill, explained that youngsters were used to the fast-moving visual language of films and TV.

Peter Hall directed the new production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola, a version of the Cinderella story which has been a popular choice on the local panto scene this Christmas.

I went to Mozart’s The Marriage Of Figaro which has been described as a miracle even by Mozartian standards.

This revival for the tour of Graham Vick’s 2000 production was conducted by Vienna-born Thomas Rosner in his Glydebourne debut – he is also set to conduct that archetypical Viennese piece Die Fledermaus for the company.

The orchestra played seductively for him and designer Richard Hudson’s light settings made particularly effective use of gauzy screens.

Iain Paterson was a sturdy Figaro and Amy Freston an appealing Cherubino while Jeremy Carpenter and Kate Royal were a well-matched Count and Countess.